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Smoked trout rillettes in a white bowl with dill and capers, served alongside golden baked baguette crostini on marble

Smoked Trout Rillettes with Crostini

A quick, make-ahead smoked trout spread folded with crème fraîche, lemon, and capers, served on baked crostini.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 195

Ingredients
  

Smoked Trout Rillettes
  • 200 g hot-smoked trout fillets, skin removed pin bones removed, flesh flaked
  • 90 g crème fraîche, full-fat about 3 heaped tablespoons
  • 2 tbsp capers in brine, drained and roughly chopped rinsed briefly
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice use both
  • 1 tsp prepared horseradish
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped plus extra sprigs to serve
  • to taste flaky sea salt
  • to taste black pepper, freshly ground
Crostini
  • 1 baguette, thinly sliced on the diagonal about 24 slices, 1 cm thick
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • a pinch flaky sea salt

Method
 

Make the Crostini
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Brush both sides of each slice lightly with olive oil, reaching all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of flaky salt.
  3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the slices are pale gold and crisp. They will harden further as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack.
Make the Smoked Trout Rillettes
  1. Check the trout fillets for any remaining pin bones by running your fingertip along the flesh. Remove any you find with tweezers or your fingers. Discard the skin.
  2. Place the flaked trout into a medium mixing bowl. Add the crème fraîche, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, and chopped dill.
  3. Fold everything together with a fork using a gentle, lifting motion until the mixture is just combined. You want visible flakes throughout, not a smooth paste.
  4. Taste and season with flaky salt and black pepper. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the rillettes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Assemble and Serve
  1. Remove the rillettes from the refrigerator and taste once more, adding a little extra lemon juice or salt if needed after chilling.
  2. Spoon a generous amount of rillettes onto each crostino and garnish with a small dill sprig, a single caper, or a thin radish slice. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you make the rillettes more than a few hours ahead, hold back half the lemon juice and stir it in just before serving to keep the citrus flavor bright.